…it’s the creative connection and interplay between various art forms such as visual arts, movement and dance, music and drama, writing and poetry;

…it taps into the creative wellspring; exploring and developing imagination and intuition;

…is a tool for healing, guidance, and personal growth;

…is not about making a pretty craft or object – the emphasis is on process, not product;

…requires no special skill, talent, or previous art experience.

Carmen Richardson, MSW, RSW, RCAT, REAT, and Director of Prairie Institute of Expressive Arts Therapy (PIEAT) says this about expressive arts: “The experience of expressive arts might be the creation of a painting, writing of a poem, or simply a movement of the hand. Within these creative expressions lie opportunities for spaces to open and for ideas and beliefs to expand. These are stories of possibilities. These are the sounds when meaning is echoed in suffering. We may delight in the surprise that emerges from ones’ work with the image, the word, or the song. Rather than interpret their meaning we may engage with what is expressed by allowing it to speak, to tell the story of their creation, to dramatize through body movement, or simply to be with the image and listen to its’ message. We may breathe life into what is created and journey further as we follow its’ unfolding. Immersion into the healing power of the arts offers fresh perspectives, increased potential for change, insight, and deeper connection to self and others.”

ART is Knowing ~ART is Healing ~ ART is Joyful FUN!

Art and Visual Journaling

Whether filled with images, words, or a combination of both, expressing yourself within the pages of a book is a deeply satisfying art practice that can help to release stress and connect you with your creativity. Your journal will become a creative companion – a visual container for your thoughts and feelings, and a way of knowing, healing and loving yourself. There are no rules in art journaling, just opportunities for creative play.

Poems, Story & Words

Poetry: Discover the healing art of poetry to engage in deep conversations with your soul. Poetry and poem-making introduces you to the transformative power of words as a means to express your truth.

Reflective writing allows you to express and record your thoughts and feelings through the written word. The conversation can be with yourself, your art, or shared with others.

“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” ~Beatrix Potter

Story Dolls

Making dolls is both playful and healing – they become a container for your feelings and provide a creative way to bring what is invisible to the surface. When you shape a figure, you intuitively begin to respond to what is emerging – playing, listening, and dialoging with it. As the doll takes form, they begin to inform us: a name arrives, the imagination is invoked and a story begins.

Visual ArtsVisual arts are sensory – a process of self-expression that speaks to us in colour, line and form. Whether using paint or pastels, sculpting with paper, clay or wire – there are endless creative possibilities available that tap into a language without words, yet can become a pathway to that deep well of creative wisdom within all of us.